The present invention relates to valves for controlling fluid flow, and particularly to snap-action valves. The invention is especially useful in water irrigation devices and is therefore described below with respect to this application, but it will be appreciated that the invention could be used in many other applications of snap-action valves.
An important characteristic of a snap-action valve is that its movements from its closed and open positions be quick and positive, that in its closed position it effectively seal the valve opening, and that in its open position it introduce a minimum pressure drop of the fluid flow through the valve opening. A large number of different types of snap-action valves have been designed for various application, but efforts are continuously made to increase the efficiency of such snap-action valves, to simplify their structure, and to reduce their costs.